Lobbying your MP makes a difference

13 May 2019

Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, met CAFOD supporters in Parliament.

Lobbying your MP as an MP Correspondent is a great way to get your voice heard by people in power. If you care about issues affecting our world – like global poverty, climate change and human rights – signing up to be an MP Correspondent is a must.

Take your lobbying to Parliament

"I became an MP Correspondent because I recognised the importance of trying to influence parliament leaders and valued the opportunity of becoming informed myself, through CAFOD, of various issues so I could write to my MP with more knowledge.”

Justine Sulcock, from Manchester

MP Correspondents are essential to our work. As an MP Correspondent you will write three to four times a year to your MP to call for action on issues affecting disadvantaged and marginalised communities around the world.

Once a year, to strengthen your relationship with your MP, we will invite you to a reception in Parliament. This reception gives you the opportunity to talk directly with your MP.

Christina Mottram, from Leicester, was among over 100 attendees who joined us at CAFOD’s recent reception in Parliament. She said the reason she signed up to be an MP Correspondent was because it was her “living faith in action”. Her daughter, Hannah Mottram, used to work for CAFOD’s policy team, specialising in renewable and sustainable energy. It was clear that Christina is incredibly inspired by the work her daughter is doing, and uses that as a force to speak up for urgent and strong climate action.

MPs say lobbying makes a difference

Emily Thornberry spoke on the importance of talking to your MPs and the difference we can make.

Thanks to the hard work of our MP Correspondents, dozens of MPs joined us at our annual MP Correspondent reception in Parliament on Wednesday 8 May. During the evening, MPs mentioned that the MP Correspondent scheme makes a difference, adds a personal touch and stands out from many emails that repeat the same thing.

Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, opened her speech emphasising the importance of MP Correspondents’ work. She described her office, adorned with letters asking for changes to be made, in her own words "the letters that have inspired me to fight against the injustices in our society and in our world".

“Don’t let anybody tell you it’s a waste of time. Instead you must always remember that the most powerful, the most personal letters that you will write, are more likely to get pinned to my wall, or one of my colleagues, and will inspire them every day to fight for what you believe in.”

Our partners get to speak in Parliament

Allister Philip, a local expert working in the Antilles region of the Caribbean, addressed the MPC event.

The MP Correspondent scheme also gives our partners an opportunity to highlight their work. This year we were joined by Allister Philip, a local expert working in the Antilles region of the Caribbean. As the area is vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding, Allister trains communities, particularly young people, how to prepare and respond to disasters.

Allister began by telling the assembled MPs and MP Correspondents about her experience of Hurricane Tomas in 2010, sheltering with others from the storm which tore their homes apart. She works to make sure that, next time disaster hits, people are more prepared.

“I am proud of our work in transforming the lives of our young volunteers. Supporting them to become agents for change in their communities - training them to prepare today to survive tomorrow.”